WE HAVE YOUR BACK
A Message from Supporters of Community Governance
For every generation of Antiochians there comes a defining moment – a moment to stand up for our shared values and to use our strength in the service of our vision.
This time is now. We want the Antioch College Community to know that we, who have engaged in Community Governance, have your back at this critical time. We acknowledge the difficulty of doing so while not being there with you, but wish to make our intentions clear.
As the campus Antioch Community, you are showing the world the value of an Antioch education. You are taking action to enable people you may never know, people you may never meet, to access an Antioch education and go on to win victories for humanity.
One alum, Edith Bagley, sister to the late Coretta Scott King said that “Antioch has to live. It gives hope to the world.” You give others such hope with your presence, your thoughts and your actions.
You are taking a risk. And we are here to offer assistance.
The risk is worth it because Antioch is worth saving. Today’s Antioch education in classroom, co-op, and community is as valuable and true to the Antiochian ideals of egalitarianism and community responsibility as any since 1852.
The undersigned of this letter are educators, organizers, artists and activists who are leaders in our chosen professions and communities. We have fought for social justice wherever we have gone and now we are fighting for justice for the students, faculty and staff of Antioch College.
We ask you to not give in. We ask you to not give up and we ask you continue to fight.
We ask the same of ourselves.
DECLARATIONS
What We Want, What We Believe
The Students are the Reason for The School
We are committed to do everything in our power to maintain an environment at Antioch College that makes it possible for current students to stay enrolled with confidence, and for new students to enroll. The students must be recognized and respected throughout the process of revitalizing the College.
No Tenure, No Peace
Retaining the faculty is necessary to support a vibrant academic community and to provide the course offerings that current students need to graduate. Faculty retention is essential to student retention. We oppose all faculty cuts, and we oppose any imposition of curricular changes on the faculty. The college must trust the faculty to determine the curriculum, and must rebuild an atmosphere in which the faculty are appropriately respected and valued. This is necessary to retain current faculty, and to attract new faculty as the college grows.
Stop Firing, Start Hiring
We oppose further cuts to staff and student services and any attempts to undermine the unions. Antioch College cannot shrink further without sacrificing the basic functions of the campus and leaving students without the support that they need to thrive. The college must focus on revenue growth rather than expense reduction, and where cuts are absolutely needed, non-human resources should be considered more expendable than human beings.
Exigency is Academic Martial Law
We call for an immediate explanation of the specific conditions under which financial exigency will be lifted and the threat of suspended operations will cease to be held over Antioch College. We call for a justification for maintaining financial exigency, besides the apparent function of allowing the university to violate tenure and other contractual obligations. If such justification cannot be satisfactorily provided, we call for an immediate lifting of the state of financial exigency.
Tear Down the Obstacles to Recruitment
The admissions department must be promptly restaffed and ready to begin an aggressive outreach and recruitment program for new, returning and transfer students, as soon as permitted by governing bodies. We know that there are thousands of students for whom Antioch College is the right place. We need to capitalize on the momentum and publicity of the College Revival and help at least several hundred students find their way to an Antioch education in the coming year, and years to come.
Support Shared Governance
We call for a participatory decision-making process in the college’s tradition of community self-governance, in which decisions are not imposed from above, but are made through open public discussion, actively seeking the meaningful input from everyone affected who wishes participate. This will strengthen the community and renew the college’s reputation.
We are committed to advocating these positions to the Antioch University and College administrations, to the Antioch University Board of Trustees, and within the Alumni Association. We are committed to fighting for these positions as an independent collective dedicated to a vibrant, humane, self-governing and self-sustaining Antioch College.
In Solidarity
Matt Baya ’92
Beth Gutelius ’00
Megan Rosado ’97
Tim Eubanks ’00
Chad Johnston ’00
Michael Casselli ’87
Nick Szuberla ’95
Jennie Knaggs ’01
Shelby Chestnut ’05
J. Greg Williams ’95
Judy Wolert-Maldonado ’05
Brandy Ellis ’02
Dawn Scribner ’83
Amina Warfield ’94
Dan Shoemaker ’92
Tim Noble ’02
Ed M. Koziarski ’97
Shannon McCarville ’02
Rowan Kaiser ’05
Caitlin Finn Daoust ’04
Karen Kotiw ’98
Ed Trippel ’92
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